John Nelson Darby
Although not published until 1864, this collection of letters between Rev. Kelly and J.N. Darby commences in 1839 and the views of Darby are therefore significant in the light of his later actions and attitudes.
Topics covered include Darby’s own feelings regarding the Roman church as well as the C of E.
Darby outlines his belief in the importance of having one (Darby-approved) church in a town – an aspect of the Exclusive Brethren that remains to this day.
Darby used this principle notably in the English town of Plymouth, from where the Plymouth Brethren gained their name. Following a doctrinal dispute with an old friend, Darby forced a split in the Plymouth congregation by setting up a second communion table. This action precipitated a chain of events that led to the entire Plymouth Brethren being ripped apart during the mid 1840′s … an event known as the Bethesda Division.
There are several other warnings of things to come, including the origins of the ‘closed communion’:
“How can I greet with cordial affection as of one heart and one mind my brethren in the Lord, if I do not and am not to know who they are?”. - John Darby
.J.N. Darby questions how he can greet ‘with cordial affection’ those he does not k now as christians. The answer is given in Paul’s ministry-’love to all the sainnts’ and in the Lord Christ showing great grace to all He met.Paul also received ‘all who came to him.’
The Brethren have adopted a sectarian stance, led into it by men now dead who put the Godhead into compartments dictating that at the Lord’s Supper there was an order of ascent ‘the Suffering Christ-the Lord coming into the midst of us-the concept of union then with Him-the place given to worship the Holy Spirit-then God the Father-then God all in all, a ritual followed every Sunday a.m.
There is no biblical directive for that mode of conducting the remembrance of Christ’s death.
The implication that all other believers are somehow iniquitous or unclean is a travesty of God’s acceptance and guidance and an offence against the Holy Spirit in the Church. The so-called ministry or assumed ‘new light from God’ propagated by the Brethren is a blind-alley doctrine and removed from the wide expanse of God’s work in building theChurch worldwide.
The Brethren urgently need to rethink and research and humble themselves to see ‘what has God wrought’ and follow His leading. Their view that they have a principle os unity has devilishly divided them into about 12-14 little groups of systematized error. Awake oh Corinthians oh Galatians-you have been bewitched and are now atrophied- You need the Spirit’s voice and His renewal-may you experience it at an early time.